Ca'Marcanda (Gaja)

In 1996, Angelo Gaja, one of the world's greatest winemakers, a pioneer in the production of single-vineyard wines in Piedmont, purchased his second Tuscan property, called Ca' Marcanda, located in Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri. It took so long (18 trips in all) to complete negotiations for the 1996 purchase of this historic 250-acre Bolgheri estate that the Gaja family began to call it "ca' marcanda," the house of endless negotiations, from the Piedmontese dialect ca' (meaning house) and marcandè (meaning to haggle). Ca' Marcanda focuses on international grape varieties, and the estate's 150 acres are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah vines. With Ca'Marcanda, Angelo Gaja aims to transfer the experience of his Piedmontese culture to the Maremma - first to acquire a thorough understanding of the potential of the different soil types and then to emphasize their specificity and uniqueness in the wines that are produced. While created from international varieties, the wines are not intended to vanish into the universe of international taste. The wines reflect the best of Bolgheri's terroir: fully ripened fruit with balanced acidity. Promis, Magari, and Camarcanda are the three red wines produced at Ca'Marcanda. Each expresses the Maremma's district terroir.